Philosophy and the Event (2009) Alain Badiou

I have read about Badiou, as all readers of Slavoz Zizek are exposed every couple of pages! Also read his short book on Arab Spring which was well worth it. This book is an interview serving as an introductory overview of his work as a philosopher.. not as the political oracle that also publishes widely. His philosophy is difficult going! He attempts to synthesis the idealism of Plato [form, Idea, Truth] and the variety of materialisms.. every day life, Marx, CERN particle accelerators, human animality, mathematics, etc. The four “conditions of philosophy”: love, art, science, and politics all allow us to experience this synthesis, Ain’t easy. This is where Zizek gets his bit about “falling in love.” [search you tube – zizek and love. funny.] You can’t organize it, plan it… and when it hits normal life is not possible, briefly at least. It happened to me! Event. The same moments are possible in politics, when time goes out of mind, strike situations, direct action organizing, large mass marches.. I have experienced these moments of truth as well. Artistic creations and transfiction of the viewer, listener through senses. I have been to about 20 Dylan shows since the start of his “never ending tour” in 1987 and do experience a restfulIy powerful set of unique thoughts, range of thoughts about history, society, travel desires “boot heels to be wandering” happiness. Think of some contemporary art in a big museum.. “two lines crossing near the edge” or some such very minimal thing. How did it get on this wall? Dialectical relationship between ART and the ARTS. Social relations of production and circulation. An “art world” exists. He loses me at science… form, logic, mathematics.

Finally, key.. Badiou brings together idealism and materialism by reckoning that philosophers don’t start thinking about “ideas” but about “things” .. I forget how he attempts out of this circular or “in the last instance” problem!

All that is Solid Melts into Air

“To be modern is to find ourselves in an environment that promises us adventure, power, joy, growth, transformation of ourselves and the world—and, at the same time, that threatens to destroy everything we have, everything we know, everything we are.”
Marshall Berman (1982)